Mona-180119114943.pdf

Smog

Kendriya Vidyalaya Azamgarh

Biology Investigatory Project

PRESENTED BY :-

SUBMITTED TO:-

Shubhangi

Mr. R.R.Gaur

XII Science

PGT Biology

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT I would like to express my special thanks of gratitude to my teacher Mr R.R.Gaur who gave me the golden opportunity to do this wonderful project on the topic (Smog) which also helped me in doing a lot of research and I came to know about many new things . I am really thankful to him. Secondly I would like to thank my parents and friends who helped me a lot in finalising this project within the limited time frame .

CERTIFICATE This is to certify that the project entitled ‘SMOG’ submitted by ‘SHUBHANGI’ was done under my supervision as her investigatory project of Biology of class 12th . This project is bonafide effort of the candidate herself. Date :

Mr. R.R.Gaur PGT Biology

PREFACE Investigatory project is a very effective method of learning by doing. It differs from routine lab experiment where procedures , experiments and results are fixed . during the execution of project I had used research method to collect material from different sources to present it in a interesting manner . Making an investigatory project helps the student to develop a scientific look and make them think analytically and logically. It make them more creative and curious about different things . At last I would like to convey my heartfelt thanks to my subject teacher Mr. R.R.Gaur who inspired me and guided me to make this project successful .

SMOG INTRODUCTION Smog is a type of air pollution. This kind of visible air pollution is composed of nitrogen oxides, sulphur oxides, ozone, smoke or dirt particles and also less visible particles such as CFC's. Human-made smog is derived from coal emissions, vehicular emissions, industrial emissions, forest and agricultural fires and photochemical reactions of these emissions. Smog is a new threat to world . It is dangerous consequence of human deeds . It is not only harming the environment but also to its creators i.e. human beings . Delhi NCR and some other big cities of India are badly affected by smog . Not only indian many major countries get covered by smog. Starting from new York London ,California,los angeles , Beijing , mexico city Santiago Tehran ulaanbatar Lahore all get covered by a thick blanket of smog . many people all over the world lose their lives due to smog . it is estimated that in delhi alone 10500 people die every year due to air pollution.

A scientific look towards smogThere are two types of smog summer smog and winter smog but we will mainly discuss winter smog. Coinage of the term "smog" is generally attributed to Dr. Henry Antoine Des Voeux in his 1905 paper, "Fog and Smoke".Smog is a yellowish or blackish fog formed mainly by a mixture of pollutants in the atmosphere which consists of fine particles and ground level ozone. Smog which occurs mainly because of air pollution, can also be defined as a mixture of various gases with dust and water vapor. Smog also refers to hazy air that makes breathing difficult. Ground level ozone and fine particles are released in the air due to complex photochemical reactions between volatile organic compounds (VOC), sulphur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxides (NOx). These VOC, SO2 and NOx are called precursors.

Causes of smog (I)Coal :- Coal fires, used to heat individual buildings or in a power-producing plant, can emit significant clouds of smoke that contributes to smog. Air pollution from this source has been reported in England since the Middle Ages. (II)Transportation emissions :- Traffic emissions – such as from trucks, buses, and automobiles – also contribute. Airborne by-products from vehicle exhaust systems cause air pollution and are a major ingredient in the creation of smog in some large cities. The major culprits from transportation sources are carbon monoxide (CO),nitrogen oxides (NO and NOx), volatile organic compounds, sulfur dioxide, and hydrocarbons. (Hydrocarbons are the main components of petroleum fuels such as gasoline and diesel fuel.) These molecules react with sunlight, heat, ammonia, moisture, and other compounds to form the noxious vapors, ground level ozone, and particles that comprise smog. (III)Photochemical smog:- Photochemical smog is the chemical reaction of sunlight, nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds in the atmosphere, which leaves airborne particles and ground-level ozone. This

noxious mixture of air pollutants may include the following: # Aldehydes # Nitrogen oxides, particularly nitric oxide and nitrogen dioxide # Peroxyacyl nitrates # Tropospheric ozone # Volatile organic compounds (IV) Natural causes :- An erupting volcano can also emit high levels of sulfur dioxide along with a large quantity of particulate matter; two key components to the creation of smog. However, the smog created as a result of a volcanic eruption is often known as vog to distinguish it as a natural occurrence.

Effects of smog on health :(i)

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Ground-level ozone, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide and carbon monoxide are especially harmful for senior citizens, children, and people with heart and lung conditions such as emphysema, bronchitis, and asthma. It can inflame breathing passages, decrease the lungs' working capacity, cause shortness of breath, pain when inhaling deeply, wheezing, and coughing. It can cause eye and nose irritation and it dries out the protective membranes of the nose and throat and interferes with the body's ability to fight infection, increasing susceptibility to illness. In 2016, the Ontario Medical Association announced that smog is responsible for an estimated 9,500 premature deaths in the province each year. Tiny magnetic particles from air pollution have for the first time been discovered to be lodged in human brains– and researchers think they could be a possible cause of Alzheimer’s disease.

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Birth defect :- two types of neural tube defects: spina bifida (a condition involving, among other manifestations, certain malformations of the spinal column), and anencephaly (the underdevelopment or absence of part or all of the brain, which if not fatal usually results in profound impairment). (vii) The highly affected people include old people, kids and those with cardiac and respiratory complications as they have easy tendency to be at disadvantage of asthma. (viii) Illnesses such as cold and pneumonia are also related to smog.

A CASE STUDY 0F DELHI

Delhi , the national capital of India is among the top five most air polluted cities in the world .Delhi is nowadays at the top leaving behind Beijing (China),

Cairo (Egypt) , Santiago (Chile) , Mexico city (Mexico).The threat of smog is increasing day by day . According to the World Health Organization (WHO) Delhi was the most polluted city in the world in 2014. In 2016 WHO downgraded Delhi to eleventh-worst in the urban air quality database. According to one estimate, air pollution causes the death of about 10,500 people in Delhi every year. During 2013–14, peak levels of fine particulate matter (PM) in Delhi increased by about 44%, primarily due to high vehicular and industrial emissions, construction work and crop burning in adjoining states. It has the highest level of the airborne particulate matter, PM2.5 considered most harmful to health, with 153 micrograms. Rising air pollution level has significantly increased lung-related ailments (especially asthma and lung cancer) among Delhi's children and women. The dense smog in Delhi during winter season results in major air and rail traffic disruptions every year. According to Indian meteorologists, the average maximum temperature in Delhi during winters has declined notably since 1998 due to rising air pollution. Delhi is the most densely populated region with an area of 1484 sq. km and population of

18.98 million . So the population level is always found high .

Causes of smog in delhi :(i)

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National capital shares its border with the states of Haryana and Uttar Pradesh. One of the main reasons of increasing air pollution levels in Delhi is crop burning by the farmers in these states. Farmers burn rice stubbles in Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh. It is estimated that approximately 35 million tonnes of crop are set afire by these states. The wind carries all the pollutants and dust particles, which have got locked in the air. Pollution caused by the traffic menace in Delhi is another reason contributing to this air pollution and smog. The air quality index has reached 'severe' levels. Vehicular emission is increasing the hazardous effects of air pollution and smog. The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and the National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI) have declared vehicular emission as a

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major contributor to Delhi's increasing air pollution. As the winter season sets in, dust particles and pollutants in the air become unable to move. Due to stagnant winds, these pollutants get locked in the air and affect weather conditions, resulting in smog. Another reason of air-pollution is overpopulation in the capital. Over-population only adds up to the various types of pollution, whether it is air pollution or noise pollution. Investing less on public infrastructure is another reason of air pollution. In India, investment in public transport and infrastructure is low which leads to congested roads, and hence air pollution. Large scale construction in Delhi-NCR is another culprit that is increasing dust and pollution in the air. Considering the dipping air quality, a number of construction sites have stalled work, as directed by the Delhi Government. Industrial pollution and garbage dumps are also increasing air pollution and building-up smog in the air.

(viii) Despite the ban on cracker sales, firecrackers were a common sight this Diwali. It may not be the top reason for this smog, but it definitely contributed to its build up.

As the winter sets in dust particles and pollutants in the air become unable to move .

due to stagnant winds these pollutant get locked in the air and affect weather conditions resulting in smog . The three regions most prone to smog in Delhi are :(i) Anand Vihar (ii) RKPuram (iii) Punjabi bagh In Anand Vihar the pm10 and pm2.5 levels are generally higher .

The concentration of gases like NO2 also remains very high . The main reasons behind the pollution in anand vihar is (i) (ii) (iii) (iv)

1 lakh vehicles use the main stretch everyday. 2000 buses operate from anand vihar to ISBT everyday . Heavy trans border traffic between Delhi and uttar Pradesh . Industrial cluster in the vicinity . Things have been changing after railway station foreast bound trains and a metro station came up in Anand Vihar . A data of PM 2.5 levels in Delhi in 0ct 2016.

DATE 01/10/2016 02/10/2016 03/10/2016 04/10/2016 05/10/2016 06/10/2016 07/10/2016 08/10/2016 09/10/2016 10/10/2016 11/10/2016 12/10/2016 13/10/2016 14/10/2016 15/10/2016 16/10/2016 17/10/2016 18/10/2016 19/10/2016 20/10/2016 21/10/2016 22/10/2016 23/10/2016 24/10/2016 25/10/2016 26/10/2016 27/10/2016 28/10/2016

LEVELS OF 2.5 95 68 104 76 99 74 122 89 123 97 72 67 56 114 121 101 141 111 124 98 116 108 121 107 73 108 143 129

REMARKS Moderate Moderate Unhealthy Moderate Moderate Moderate Unhealthy Moderate Unhealthy Moderate Moderate Moderate Moderate Unhealthy Unhealthy Unhealthy Unhealthy Unhealthy Unhealthy Moderate Unhealthy Unhealthy Unhealthy Unhealthy Moderate Unhealthy Unhealthy Unhealthy

29/10/2016 30/10/2016 31/10/2016

174 758 480

Very unhealthy Hazardous Hazardous

This table shows that with onset of winter the levels of pm2.5 increases tremendously . The following graph shows levels of pm 2.5 on 07 November 2017.

Measures taken by Delhi government to control smog:The Chief Minister of Delhi at that time, Arvind Kejriwal, came out with the following proposed action items to attempt to reduce the air pollution. (i) Odd Even scheme (ii) All Delhi schools will remain shut for the next three days. (iii) For the next five days, no construction and demolition work will take place in Delhi. (iii) All diesel generator sets have been banned for the next ten days, except at hospitals and in emergencies. (iv) The Delhi government will supply power to unauthorized colonies which use diesel generators. (v) The coal-based Badarpur power plant will be shut down for ten days. There will be no fly ash transportation from the power plant. (vi) The Environment Department will launch an app to monitor the burning of leaves. (vii)Vacuum cleaning of roads will start on November 10. (viii) Water sprinkling will start on all roads from the next following days.

(ix) People should stay at home as much as they can and they should try working from home. (x) It has been under public debate how much, if any, of the above steps actually help curtail pollution. Various bodies blamed various sources for the smog.

Longer term measures (i) On November 25, 2017, the Supreme Court of India banned the sale of firecrackers in Delhi to alleviate pollution. (ii) In another measure, the Badarpur power plant will remain shut until at least January 31, 2018.This power plant is very old and polluting, and even before the Great Smog, environmentalists had advocated for its permanent shutdown.

National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has issued some guidelines to protect yourself against the hazardous impacts of smog and pollution: (i) Don't step out or indulge in outdoor activities during early morning and evening hours due to "severe" levels of air pollution in the city.

(ii) Try to stay indoors. Go out when it's bright and sunny. (iii) Avoid stepping out if you have breathing difficulty. (iv) Keep children indoors as much as possible. (v) Avoid smoking. Do not burn garbage. (vi) Drink adequate amount of water as it helps in flushing toxins from the body. (vii) Avoid strenuous activity, as they may lead to inhalation of minute pollutants. (viii) Eat fruits that are loaded with vitamin C, magnesium and omega fatty acids. These fruits are rich in antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds and helps in boosting immunity.